In recent years, process control systems, like those used in chemical, petroleum, and/or other processes, have grown progressively more complex with the proliferation of newer and more powerful controllers. Current generation process control systems include a greater number and variety of field devices or instruments for measuring and/or controlling different aspects of a process environment. In addition to utilizing field devices to monitor and/or control core processes, field devices have been increasingly used for peripheral tasks such as prognostic health monitoring.
Process control systems in which field devices fail during operation can experience increased periods of downtime. Field device failure during operation can also create hazardous operating conditions if the failed field devices provide erroneous or inaccurate data to the process control system. Failed field devices that provide electronic feedback (e.g., pressure transducers, temperature transducers, etc.) to controllers can be mitigated by performing a controlled shut down of the process equipment or by bypassing the input of the failed field devices to corresponding controller algorithms. However, failed field devices that do not provide electronic feedback (e.g., hydraulic actuators, pneumatic valves, etc.) during operation may not alert the controller that there is a problem and may lead. process control systems to function in an unknown, unstable and/or unsafe modes of operation.
Devices within the process control system may also be located in difficult environments such as areas with extreme vibration, high pressure, and/or wide temperature ranges that may cause accelerated failure. With the implementation of increasingly powerful controllers, process control systems can utilize additional sensors to monitor field devices in these difficult environments. Monitoring field devices using additional sensors and peripheral algorithmic routines can be used to predict potential failures and enable technicians to replace the potentially faulty field devices during periodic maintenance as opposed to stopping operation of the system to replace field devices.